Zaman Sohail and Fareeha Siddiq win national chess titles

ISLAMABAD: Zaman Sohail of the Higher Education Commission and Punjab’s Fareeha Siddiq secured the top honours in the men’s and women’s divisions of the National Chess Championship held at the Pakistan Sports Complex.

According to the event details, more than 250 players from around the country took part in the competition, which was organised by the Chess Federation of Pakistan and included multiple categories. The championship showcased strong competition as players tested their tactical ability and consistency over the course of the tournament.

In the 34th National Men’s Chess Championship, Zaman finished first after collecting five points in the final round. Punjab’s M. Zorais Shabkhez placed second with 4.5 points, while HEC’s A.R. Akhtar also ended on 4.5 points and took third place through the tiebreak system.

In the 10th Women’s National Chess Championship, Fareeha completed the event without losing a game and claimed the title with 10.5 points. Zainabia Wasif came second on nine points, while Javeria finished third with eight points. Federal Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Dr Tariq Fazal Chaudhry attended the closing ceremony as chief guest. Wajeeha Qamar, Rana Ahsan Afzal, Mohyuddin Wani, Syed Zeeshan Naqvi, Raja Gohar Iqbal and Afzal Butt were also present and commended both the players and the organisers for supporting the growth of chess in Pakistan.